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Thursday, December 18, 2008

g - l - a- m - o - r - o - u - s*

We're all obsessed with grunge and sloppiness and 90s and effortless and dirty - haired hipster girls..lets give it a miss for one day, shall we? Christmas is a week away and I don't envision using any of the above terms to associate with my outfit choices. No, for me this time of year is about glamour. (obviously that's not all I think Christmas is about...!) Extravagant, excessive even outrageous. Wearable theatrics, a frenzy of sequin - studded sparkle, utterly over - the - top.

I have always liked to dress frivolously at Christmas time. Sparkly tights and magenta fluffy jumpers as a little'un, then there was the Russoprincess - dusty pink, pearls and furs - followed by the Ice Ballerina - frosty greys, lace and diamonds. Last year saw the very trendy 1940s' starlet look - pencil skirt, fur stole, beret - and this year? Perhaps, I'll reveal at a later date. The point is: as much as I enjoy dressing all laid back and sloppy - loose layers, greys, military coat, thick scarf, my typical look at present doing the ol' Christmas shopping and what not -, I love good old - fashioned glitz and glamour. And as much as the latest grungy 'it girl' is fascinating, a glamorous person has that captivating quality and with longevity.

They are certainly sharply dressed, but they have that allure. The following list of people all have that in common. Some I count as glamorous because of their elegance and visual allure, others because of their inimitable quality and some more because of their innate and wondrous sense of style.

(* just to say, sooo not a fan of Fergie..I, for some strange reason, felt like using her lame song as the title of this post. Cannot justify my actions.)click to enlarge

To be honest, I'm no expert on Sophie's style. From the looks of things she appears to be a nice dresser, nothing outrageous or remotely shocking. She does however, possess one of the most fantastic faces and is glamorous without even trying. Resembling a regal, polished version of Debbie Harry, it was no wonder then that she was discovered by none other than the late Isabella Blow.

What I love about Daphne Guinness' style is that it's completely unapologetic. I have always hated the phrase 'Less is more' and I'm sure Daphne would agree. She piles on the rings, the diamonds and the haute couture and does not give a damn about this 'effortless' nonsense. Even though her ensembles cost probably almost a mortgage's worth, there has got to be something paradoxically refreshing in her ostentatious style? She is excessive and extravagant with CruelladeVil hair, but what's more then that, she always looks completely original and unique, with a legendary eye for detail. Daphne is certainly the inimitable type of glamour. So many celebrities these days can throw on an Oscar De La Renta and BAM! They are a 'style icon'. For Daphne, however, haute couture is a way of life.

I'm not too sure why I like Jessica Stam so much, but she is rather popular so perhaps someone has the answer to what it is about her. Jessica proves that glamour doesn't just come with age. I always find her fascinating in editorials.

I have a love/hate relationship with Kate Moss. Rather then focus on the negatives, she is rather glamorous, isn't she? I still think she can look fantastic and like I said in the beginning, she continues to fascinate.

I must admit Roisin's music is definitely not for me, but her style is a whole other story. I love the hyperbole of her outfits - the often cartoon - ish silhouettes, outrageous combinations and clashing colours-, it's clear that Roisin is fascinated with clothes. Yet, despite this she is an incredibly sharp dresser, always dressed to impress and has a cool almost Hitchcock blonde aloof. Whereas Daphne Guinness piles on the bling, Roisin generally prefers bold statement pieces and indeed, has a penchant for incredible hats. She's an original and is like Daphne in that they are both trendless. Instead, they are constantly pushing the boundaries of their own style.

I was in Topshop a few days ago and overheard two girls talking about Roisin's concert. Of course the conversation turned to her style with one of the girl's remarking "How can you be that cool?" Indeed.

Love her or hate her, frankly who cares? I think Keira nine times out of ten gets it right on the red carpet and even better manages to look original on it. What's more she actually has an acting career unlike certain other actresses who turn up on red carpets just to look generically pretty in the 'newest, hottest' designer.. (ahem Kate Bosworth..among others..) None of that matters though as she has got it.

I'm no die - hard Carine fan, probably only because I can't get Vogue Paris here! She is so 'Now' that it is slightly irksome, but it cannot be denied, that the woman is pure glamour. I love her polished yet very original style and how she always manages to make an all black ensemble look fresh and edgy. And come on, any uber fashion magazine ed that smiles like she does deserves all the adoration she gets.

Of celebrities today, who do you consider to be glamorous?

I will try my bestest to catch up on comments asap. Apologies for being so all over the place - Kat

I love that not all of your picks were young models! I agree about Carine- I'm not a huge follower but I do think she's always stylish and looks much friendlier than some other editors....cough. I'll have to think a bit about who i think is a glamorous celeb.

i think we were on the same style wavelength with the glamour topic...jane birkin did grunge glam decades before anyone.franca sozzani is always glamorous in an understated, precise yet romantic way. anna piaggi does over the top glam unlike any other!

Of today's celebrities, besides any of the ones you mentioned above (I love Kate Moss & Stam)...I'd say Beyonce's like super glamourous...on the red carpet, in pap shots, etc. The dresses, the bling, the heels, and her recent foray into like any kind of fashion besides Elie Saab dresses on the red carpet and House of Dereon stuff....Yeah, Beyonce. I don't really know of any others because I don't keep up with celebs. Plus she's like super rich, which I guess helps.

Yes, despite my uncertainty as to Keira's actual degree of acting talent it can't be denied - the girl exudes glamour from every pore. As do most of the other girls listed. I've never thought of Kate Moss as glamorous though, I must say. Whenever she wears something that's not indie or mod -a nice dress for a wedding or something for a shoot- I always find it rare and refreshing..

Thanks for writing an interesting feature that I could sink my teeth into. I enjoy your blog muchly.

Wonderful post! :) Personally, I like Keira Knightly's style the best out of all of those...I love how she can wear menswear and still make it look very feminine. Another celebrity whom I consider to be quite glamorous is Heidi Klum, although not so much in the classic way of some others...

Yes I totally adore Daphne and Roisin - they're both so unique and Roisin is really daring with her style and pulls it off so well - I still love her early Moloko look with the black bob - I think I subconsciously channeled her when I got my hair cut.

i pretty much agree with every word you said. although i do like kate bosworth's style and i think she is very pretty, what you said opened my eyes...she doesn't have much of a career at all. i hope she starts picking some substantial roles soon.

I so agree with you!! I don't understand all this fuss about the disheveled Wasson-esque look....I'm getting tired of it, I long for ladylike prim and proper girls like Blair Waldorf, always chic and elegant...

Great post. I missed reading your blog I have so much to catch up with ahhh

Completely agree with Keira - she was unfairly left out Vogue's Glamour list last year. Atonement cemented my admiration for this girl!I'll throw another name into the mix; Sophie Ellis Bexter, yay? nay?